JP2006048375A - Ic tag system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an IC tag system capable of obtaining the positional information of respective IC tags and sorting a plurality of IC tags in the case of performing communication with one or more IC tags in the communication of a non-contact IC tag system. <P>SOLUTION: The IC tag system is provided with an IC tag processor 3, a personal computer PC2 to be connected to the IC tag processor 3, a display device 1, and an infrared camera 11 comprising an infrared sensor 7 and an optical system 8 and constituted so as to include a single or more IC tags (an activated IC tag and a non-activated IC tag 10). In the IC tag system, not only communication utilizing radio waves between IC tags can be performed but also the surface temperature of an IC tag can be measured simultaneously with communication using the radio waves by additionally arranging an infrared camera. Further when the optical center axis of the infrared sensor in the IC tag apparatus is made to coincide with the center axis of magnetic flux generated from an antenna, the temperature distribution of a more accurate and distortion-reduced surface can be obtained and the existing position of the IC tag can be more accurately confirmed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an IC tag system, and in particular, receives an electric power supply from an IC tag reader / writer and an IC tag reader / writer by electromagnetic coupling or electrostatic coupling, or operates between a built-in power source and the IC tag reader / writer. And the IC tag for exchanging data.

  Recently, in order to prevent theft and manage merchandise, merchandise in stores is increasingly used with IC tags. FIG. 12 shows an example of a general IC tag system. A conventional IC tag system includes a central IC tag processing device 3, a personal computer PC2 and a display device 1 connected thereto, and a single or a plurality of IC tags (in the figure, an activated IC tag 9, an inactivated tag). 10). Hereinafter, description will be given with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the general IC tag processing device 3 includes a control circuit 5, an RF circuit 6, and an antenna 4, and includes an activated IC tag 9 and an inactivated IC tag 10. Communication processing is performed on the network. The IC tag to be processed may be singular or plural. The activated IC tag 9 and the deactivated IC tag 10 have an antenna coil and an IC chip mounted therein, and perform various processing such as authentication by performing wireless communication with the IC tag processing device 3.

  The frequency of the radio wave used for communication is 135KHz in the long wave band, 6.78MHz, 13.56MHz, 27.125MHz, 40.68MHz, 433.92MHz, 869.0MHz, 915.0MHz in the short wave band, and 2.45GHz and 5.8GHz in the microwave band. 24.125GHz, but some frequencies are not available in all countries.

  The personal computer PC2 incorporates control software for communicating with the IC tag processing device 3, and sends a command to the IC tag processing device 3 in accordance with a predetermined control program. The control circuit 5 of the IC tag processing device 3 transmits digital transmission data according to the command to the RF circuit 6. The RF circuit 6 converts digital data into an RF (Radio Frequency) signal. This RF signal is fed to the antenna 4 and radiated as a transmission radio wave to the space. An RF magnetic field is generated in the space where the transmission radio wave is radiated.

  The activated IC tag 9 and the deactivated IC tag 10 arranged in the RF magnetic field receive the electromagnetic wave of the RF magnetic field by the built-in antenna coil. The power for driving the activated IC tag 9 and the deactivated IC tag 10 is extracted from the received electromagnetic wave. This received power varies depending on the communication distance between the IC tag processing device 3, the activated IC tag 9, and the deactivated IC tag 10. When the distance between the IC tag processing device 3 and the activated IC tag 9 and the deactivated IC tag 10 is short, the transmission power to be received is large, and when it is far away, it is small. The activated IC tag 9 and the deactivated IC tag 10 that have received the received power further extract data from the received electromagnetic wave, perform data processing mounted on each tag, and communicate with the IC tag processing device. If this is the case, the data after the communication processing is converted again into an RF signal, and the “activation tag 9” that performs the operation of radiating as a received radio wave from the built-in loop coil antenna to the space is obtained.

  Note that in the case of an IC tag that is not a communication target, the received radio wave is not emitted from the built-in loop coil antenna, and the “deactivation tag 10” behaves. The radio wave radiated from the activation IC tag 9 is received by the antenna 4 of the IC tag processing device, and the received radio wave is converted into digital reception data by the RF circuit 6 and sent to the control circuit 5. The digital reception data is decoded by the control circuit 5 and output as a response signal to the outside of the IC tag processing device in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol. The response signal is input to PC2, and processing according to the control software is performed. The content processed by the PC 2 is displayed as character / graphic information on the display device 1 as display information. The display device 1 can use a CRT, a liquid crystal display, or the like. Information obtained from the IC tag that has performed communication (for example, an ICIC tag specific IC code) is displayed. With the above procedure, the IC tag processing device 3 can realize non-contact data communication with the IC tag.

  FIG. 13 shows an example of a conventional IC tag. The main components of the IC tag shown in each of the IC tag examples shown in FIGS. 13A to 13D are constituted by an antenna coil 120 and an IC chip 121. In particular, the shape of the antenna 120 has various shapes and sizes according to the frequency, polarization plane, reach distance, and use of radio waves used for communication. The lower the frequency of the radio wave used, the longer the wavelength, and the larger the antenna. If the polarization plane of the antenna does not become a problem, a linearly polarized antenna as shown in FIG. 13 is used. The card type IC tag shown in FIG. 13A has a shape like a credit card and is very thin. There are also a square loop type IC tag shown in FIG. 13B, a circular loop type IC tag shown in FIG. 13C, a folded dipole antenna shown in FIG. 13D, and the like. A circularly polarized antenna is advantageous. Further, it is described in Patent Document 1 below that heat is generated when a non-contact IC tag or IC card performs communication.

  In Patent Document 1, a part of excess power conventionally consumed by an IC chip is consumed by an antenna by increasing the resistance component of the antenna coil itself. In this case, heat generated not only from the IC chip but also from the antenna coil becomes significant.

JP 2000-348152 A

  By the way, when the IC processing device tries to communicate with the IC tag, the user who owns the IC processing device can know the approximate distance to the IC tag depending on whether communication is possible. However, even if it is known that the IC tag itself exists in the vicinity, it is impossible to know the position of the IC tag.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an IC tag system capable of obtaining position information of each IC tag when communicating with one or a plurality of IC tags in a non-contact IC tag system. Still another object of the present invention is to provide an IC tag system that can classify IC tags to be communicated when communicating with one or a plurality of IC tags.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, an antenna coil that transmits and receives radio waves, a signal processing unit that performs conversion processing between radio waves and data transmitted and received by the antenna coil, a memory that stores data based on radio waves, and a control unit are provided. An IC tag comprising: an IC tag comprising: an IC tag comprising: an IC tag comprising: a communication unit that communicates with the IC tag; and an activated IC tag detection means that detects an active IC tag. A tag system is provided.

  The activation IC tag detection means includes a temperature sensor for detecting heat generation caused by heat loss of the activation IC tag, and a temperature distribution measurement calculation means for measuring a two-dimensional temperature distribution based on a detection result by the temperature sensor. It is characterized by including these.

  According to the IC tag system, the position can be detected by specifying the position of the tag in the active state, that is, the communication state.

 The activation IC tag detection means is realized by a system having an infrared sensor, a scanning means for scanning the infrared sensor two-dimensionally, and a measuring means for measuring a two-dimensional temperature distribution by the scanning means. Can do.

  Furthermore, by making the optical center axis of the infrared sensor of the IC tag device coincide with the center axis of the magnetic flux generated from the antenna, it becomes possible to obtain a more accurate and less distorted temperature distribution on the surface. It is possible to check the location of the IC tag well. Heat is generated by taking the difference between the temperature distribution of the entire background surface of the processing target including the IC tag before activation and the temperature distribution of the entire background surface including the IC tag after activation. It is characterized by extracting points. Thereby, the position information of the IC tag can be extracted from the entire background.

  The temperature distribution pattern of the surface unique to the IC tag or a plurality of the IC tags that generate heat upon activation is stored in advance based on the shape unique to the IC tag, and measured based on the activated IC tag. The position information of the IC tag is detected in relation to the shape unique to the IC tag by taking a correlation with the shape of the information. In addition, the tag can be identified and the position information can be obtained based on the characteristics that can be detected in the activated state such as the shape and size of the tag and the directionality related to the shape.

  As described above, according to the present invention, by measuring the heat generation pattern of the IC tag that is activated when the IC processing device communicates with the IC tag as two-dimensional infrared distribution data from the infrared camera, Tag position information can be obtained.

  Furthermore, by making the optical center axis of the infrared sensor of the IC tag device coincide with the center axis of the magnetic flux generated from the antenna, it becomes possible to obtain a temperature distribution of the surface with more character and less distortion, and more accurate. The location of the high IC tag can be confirmed.

  Hereinafter, an IC tag processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1-A is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an IC tag processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1-A, the IC tag system according to the present embodiment includes an IC tag processing device 3, a personal computer PC2 connected thereto, a display device 1, an infrared sensor 7, and an optical system 8. And an infrared camera 11 configured as described above. Furthermore, it is configured to include a single or a plurality of IC tags (activated IC tag 9 and non-activated IC tag 10 in FIG. 1A).

  With the above configuration, the IC tag system according to the present embodiment can not only perform communication using radio waves between IC tags, but also by arranging an additional infrared camera, It is characterized by the ability to measure the surface temperature of IC tags.

  The IC tag processing device 3 includes a control circuit 5, an RF circuit 6, and an antenna 4, and communicates with the activated IC tag 9 and the deactivated IC tag 10 by radio waves. Process. There may be one or more IC tags for communication.

  The antenna 4 and the optical system 8 of the infrared sensor 7 are arranged so that the center θ1 of the magnetic flux generated by the antenna 4 of the IC tag device 3 and the optical axis L1 of the infrared camera 11 coincide. As long as the above conditions are satisfied, the antenna 4 may be a loop antenna as shown in the figure or a planar antenna constituted by a microstrip line, and is not limited by shape or form.

  It may be arranged around the lens barrel of the optical system 8 as shown in FIG. 1A or on the extension of the lens barrel of the optical system 8 as shown in FIG.

  Hereinafter, an IC tag activated by communicating with the IC tag processing device 3 is referred to as an activated IC tag 9, and an inactive IC tag is referred to as an inactivated IC tag 10. The activated IC tag 9 and the deactivated IC tag 10 each have an antenna coil and an IC chip mounted therein, and wirelessly communicate with the RF magnetic field radiated from the antenna 4 of the IC tag processing device 3. Various communication processes such as authentication can be realized by performing communication.

  The personal computer PC2 incorporates control software for communicating with the IC tag processing device 3 and correlation data of the IC tag described later, and sends commands to the IC tag processing device 3 according to a predetermined control program. Send it out. The control circuit 5 of the IC tag processing device 3 transmits digital transmission data according to the command to the RF circuit 6. The RF circuit 6 converts digital data into an RF (Radio Frequency) signal. This RF signal is fed to the antenna 4 and radiated as a transmission radio wave to the space. An RF magnetic field is generated in the space where the transmission radio wave is radiated.

  The activated IC tag 9 and the deactivated IC tag 10 arranged in the RF magnetic field receive the electromagnetic wave of the RF magnetic field by the built-in antenna coil. The power for driving the activated IC tag 9 and the deactivated IC tag 10 is extracted from the received electromagnetic wave and supplied. This received power varies depending on the communication distance between the IC tag processing device 3 and the activated IC tag 9 and the deactivated IC tag 10. When the distance between the IC tag processing device 3 and the activated IC tag 9 and the deactivated IC tag 10 is short, the received power increases, and when the distance is far, the received power decreases.

  The activated IC tag 9 and the deactivated IC tag 10 that have received the received power both extract data from the received electromagnetic waves and perform data processing mounted on each tag. The activated IC tag 9 that has performed the process of determining that the IC tag processing device 3 is in communication with the IC tag processing device 3 again converts the data after the communication processing into an RF signal and receives it in the space from the built-in loop coil antenna. Radiates as radio waves.

  Further, the deactivated IC tag 10 that has performed the condition determination process for the IC tag processing device 3 that does not communicate with the IC tag processing device 3 does not emit the received radio wave from the built-in loop coil antenna. The received radio wave radiated from the activation IC tag 9 is received by the antenna 4 of the IC tag processing device, and the received radio wave is converted into digital reception data by the RF circuit 6 and sent to the control circuit 5.

  The digital reception data is decoded by the control circuit 5 and output as a response signal to the outside of the IC tag processing device 3 according to a predetermined communication protocol. The response signal is input to the personal computer PC2, and processing according to the control software is performed. The contents processed by the personal computer PC2 are displayed on the display device 1 as display information, for example, in the form of character graphic information.

  As the display device 1, a CRT or a liquid crystal display can be used. With the above procedure, the IC tag processing device 3 can realize non-contact data communication with the IC tag.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the IC tag processing device 3 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The same number is attached | subjected to the same location as the structure shown to FIG. 1-A. The control circuit 5 includes a power supply circuit 12, a memory 15, an interface I / F 13, a microprocessor 14, and a digital signal processing 16. The power supply circuit 12 supplies power not only to the control circuit 5 but also to the RF circuit 6. As shown in FIG. 1-A, the I / F 13 is an interface for exchanging signals with the personal computer PC2. As an interface, general-purpose I / F such as RS-232C, USB, SCSI, IEEE1394, etc. can be used. Commands and response signals exchanged with the outside via the I / F 13 are exchanged with the microprocessor 14. The memory 15 stores a control program for operating the microprocessor 14, and the microprocessor 14 reads and writes data as necessary.

  The command input via the I / F 13 is output as transmission data according to the control operation of the microprocessor 14. The transmission data output from the microprocessor 14 is output to the digital signal processing unit 16, where the digitally encoded digital transmission data is output to the outside of the control circuit 5. The output digital transmission data is input to the RF circuit 6.

  The RF circuit 6 includes a crystal 17, an oscillation circuit 18, a modulation circuit 19, a transmission amplification 20, a detection demodulation 21, a reception amplification 22, and a filter 23. The digital transmission data input to the RF circuit 6 is then output to the modulation circuit 19. The modulation circuit 19 modulates a carrier wave generated by the crystal 17 and the oscillation circuit 19 with the digital transmission data. The modulated carrier wave is power-amplified by the transmission amplifier 20, is fed to the antenna 4 through the feeding point 24, and is radiated as a transmission radio wave to the space.

  On the other hand, the received radio wave from the IC tag received by the antenna 4 appears as electric power superimposed on the amplified transmission signal fed from the transmission amplifier 20 on the antenna 4. Transmission / reception superimposed power appearing at the feeding point of the antenna 4 is input to the filter 23, distributed from the transmission data output from the transmission amplifier 20 and fed to the antenna 4, and input to the reception amplifier 22 as a received signal. The reception signal amplified by the reception amplifier 22 is detected and demodulated from the carrier wave of the reception signal by the detection demodulator to generate digital reception data. This digital reception data is output from the RF circuit 6 and input to the control circuit 5.

  The digital signal processing 16 decodes the digital reception data, and further generates and outputs the reception data. The received data is input to the microprocessor 14, processed according to the control program, and a response signal is output via the I / F 13. By the above procedure, non-contact data communication with the IC tag can be realized. In the present embodiment, the antenna 4 has been described as common to both transmission and reception. However, independent antennas may be provided for transmission and reception.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a non-power supply IC tag. As shown in FIG. 3, the non-power supply IC tag according to the present embodiment is activated by receiving power supply by electromagnetic coupling means or electrostatic coupling means using electromagnetic waves transmitted to the IC tag processing device. To do. The non-power supply IC tag includes an IC chip 35 and a coil antenna 25. In addition to the case where the coil antenna 25 is connected to the IC chip 35 as an external antenna, the coil antenna 25 may be configured on the IC chip 35 in order to reduce the size and cost.

  The IC chip 35 includes a capacitor 26, an analog front end 27, a modulator 28, a command 29, a transmission clock 30, an RF-DC conversion 31, a CPU 32, a cryptographic processing unit 33, and a memory 34. Consists of. An IC tag having a small and simple structure is more advantageous in terms of power consumption and cost. Therefore, an ultra-small IC chip 35 is also used. Note that the capacitor 26 may be connected to the outside of the IC chip 35 when the capacitance of the capacitor 26 is large.

  The radio wave radiated from the IC tag processing device 3 is received by the coil antenna 25 of the non-powered IC tag. In this apparatus, a parallel resonance circuit is constituted by the inductance of the coil antenna 25 and the capacitance of the capacitor 26, and is adjusted so as to resonate with the received radio wave. When a carrier wave having the same frequency as the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit is received, the parallel resonance circuit induces a resonance phenomenon and obtains a high induced voltage. The analog front end 27 performs impedance matching between the coil antenna 26 and the capacitor 26 to obtain a received signal. Further, the reception signal is demodulated and decoded by the command 29 to generate a reception command, and the reception clock is extracted at the transmission clock 30. Further, the carrier component of the received signal demodulates and separates the clock and data from the RF-DC conversion circuit. The carrier wave component is rectified in the RF-DC converter 31 to regenerate the DC power source. The regenerated DC power is supplied to each circuit of the IC chip 35 to activate the non-power IC tag.

  The CPU 32 operates according to a predetermined procedure from a command synchronized with the reception clock. The CPU 32 uses the encryption process 33 to decrypt the received command. The memory 34 stores digital information such as an ID unique to the power-less IC tag. The contents of the memory 34 can be written if a nonvolatile memory or the like is used. The CPU 32 compares the unique ID stored in the memory 34 from the decrypted received command information and determines that it is a communication target. If it is determined that the non-power IC tag is a communication target, the CPU 32 encrypts information stored in the memory 34 using the encryption processing unit 33 and generates an encrypted signal. The generated encrypted signal is input to the modulator 28 and subjected to code modulation. The encoded signal that has been coded and modulated is input to the analog front end 27 as a transmission signal, fed to the coil antenna 25, and radiated again as a radio wave. As described above, the non-powered IC tag can communicate with the IC tag processing apparatus without power.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an IC tag according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention, which is equipped with a power supply. Here, a description will be given with an emphasis on points different from the non-power supply IC tag shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the IC tag equipped with the power supply according to the present embodiment does not perform power regeneration from the received radio wave using the RF-DC converter 31 unlike the non-powered IC tag, and instead uses a small battery. 37 is built-in. Although battery replacement due to consumption of the small battery 37 is necessary, there is an advantage that a larger communication distance can be obtained because stable and larger current supply is possible as compared with the non-powered IC tag shown in FIG. .

Next, the infrared camera according to this embodiment will be described. First, the relationship between temperature and infrared rays will be described. (1) All objects emit infrared rays. (2) An object having a high temperature radiates infrared rays strongly. (3) The infrared energy and the temperature of the object are in a relative relationship. Based on the above relations (1) to (3), the infrared camera can perform the following measurement by collecting infrared energy with a lens and scanning the infrared sensor two-dimensionally. That is, the features of the infrared camera include the following points. (1) It can be viewed as surface temperature distribution and displayed as visualization information.
(2) The temperature can be measured in a non-contact manner from a location away from the object.
(3) Temperature can be measured in real time.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an infrared camera. As shown in FIG. 5, the infrared camera includes an infrared sensor 7 and an optical system 8. Further, the infrared sensor 7 includes a scanning unit 51, a condensing unit 52, an external I / F 53, a memory 54, a synchronization unit 55, a detection unit 56, and an amplification unit 57. .

  Infrared rays emitted from the object to be measured are imaged by the optical system 8 as an infrared distribution of the surface. The infrared distribution of the imaged surface is scanned two-dimensionally by the scanning unit 51. This two-dimensional scanning is performed based on a synchronization signal generated from the synchronization unit 55. This synchronization signal is input to the scanning unit 51 and the memory 54. The signal scanned two-dimensionally in the scanning unit 51 is collected in the light collecting unit 52.

  This scanning may be performed optically or electronically. The detection unit 56 is a means for finally detecting the amount of infrared rays, and it is sufficient that the detection unit 56 can detect a two-dimensional infrared distribution. The two-dimensional infrared distribution data detected by the detection unit 56 is amplified by the amplification unit 57. The amplified two-dimensional infrared distribution data is scanned as a digital signal in the memory 54 by a synchronization signal. Are written in the memory array of horizontal addresses x0, x1... X (n-1) and vertical addresses y0, y1.

As a writing example, the first line is x ₀ y ₀ , x ₁ y ₀ .... x _(n-1) y ₀ , and the next line is x ₀ y ₁ , x ₁ y ₁ .... x _(n-1) y ₁ Accordingly, two-dimensional distribution data of infrared rays emitted from the object to be measured is written in the memory 54. The data written in the memory 54 is output as two-dimensional infrared distribution data via the external I / F 53. The two-dimensional infrared distribution data output from the infrared sensor 7 is input to the personal computer PC2 shown in FIG. 1-A and displayed as visible information on the display device 1.

  Further, the activated IC tag 9 activated to communicate with the IC tag processing device generates heat due to the loss of the IC chip 35 and the coil antenna 25. Focusing on this point, the IC tag system according to the present embodiment performs communication between the IC tag processing device 3 and the activation IC tag 9, and at the same time, generates heat from the activation IC tag 9 in the infrared camera. , The position information of the activation IC tag 9 can be acquired, and not only the communication information with the activation IC tag 9 but also its shape and position information are simultaneously displayed on the display device 1.

  Furthermore, the infrared camera can measure temperature without contact as one of its features. The absolute temperature measurement needs to be corrected for the emissivity specific to the object to be measured, but it is easy to determine the relative temperature difference between a plurality of activated IC tags obtained as two-dimensional infrared data. Furthermore, the IC tag system according to the present embodiment can acquire better position information of the activated IC tag 9 by the following method. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the difference in the two-dimensional temperature distribution obtained from the infrared camera. FIG. 6A is a two-dimensional temperature distribution diagram when the IC tag system and the IC tag do not communicate and the IC tag is not activated. A two-dimensional infrared distribution at normal temperature between the IC tags 61, 62, 63, 64 and the background (in this case, a cabinet) 65 can be observed. The personal computer PC2 temporarily stores the two-dimensional infrared distribution data before activation in the internal memory.

  Next, the IC tag system according to the present embodiment performs communication using the circular IC tags 61 and 64 as communication partners. Next, as shown in FIG. 6B, the activated IC tags 61 and 64 generate heat and become higher than the surrounding temperature, thereby obtaining two-dimensional infrared data after activation. The IC tags 61 to 64 and the background 65 in FIG. 6A correspond to 61 'to 65' in FIG. 6B, respectively. The personal computer PC2 takes the difference between the two-dimensional infrared distribution data before activation stored in the memory and the two-dimensional infrared data after activation. An example of the two-dimensional infrared data obtained from the difference is shown in FIG. Eventually, differential data 61 ″ and 64 ″ corresponding to the activated IC tags 61 and 64 remain, and only the activated IC tag is extracted from the two-dimensional infrared data.

  Next, the above modification will be described. The IC tag system according to this modification can classify a plurality of activated IC tags 9 having different shapes by the following means. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a heat generation shape pattern unique to an IC tag according to this modification. FIG. 7A is a diagram showing a two-dimensional projection pattern by an infrared sensor including an activated IC tag. The IC tags 71 ′ and 74 ′ are square, and the IC tags 72 ′ and 73 ′ are circular, but the projection pattern size is different even with the same shape. FIG. 7B is a diagram showing a two-dimensional projection pattern corresponding to the IC tags 71 to 74, and shows the arrangement in the depth direction of each IC tag according to this modification. As shown in FIG. 7B, it can be seen that the IC tags 71 to 74 have the same size and different arrangement in the depth direction. It can be seen that the IC tags 71 'and 73' are at a depth L2 from the optical system 8, and the IC tags 72 'and 74' are at a depth L3. That is, it shows that the two-dimensional projection pattern of the IC tag close to the infrared camera looks large.

  However, since the square IC tags 71 and 74 and the circular IC tags 72 and 73 have different projection patterns and different shapes, they can be classified from two-dimensional projection patterns. The IC tag-specific heat generation shape pattern (square, circle, etc.) is stored in advance by the personal computer PC2 as correlation data of the IC tag, and classification is performed by correlating with the two-dimensional infrared data obtained from the infrared camera. .

  Furthermore, the IC tag system according to the present embodiment can classify a plurality of IC tags having the same shape and different sizes arranged on the same measurement distance or approximate distance by the following means. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a heat generation shape pattern unique to IC tags having different sizes. FIG. 8A is a diagram showing a two-dimensional projection pattern by an infrared sensor including an activated IC tag. The two-dimensional projection patterns 81 ′, 82 ′, and 83 ′ of the IC tag correspond to the IC tags 81, 82, and 83 in FIG. 8B, and have the same shape but different projection pattern sizes. . FIG. 8B is a diagram showing that IC tags 81, 82, 83 having the same shape and different sizes are arranged on the same depth L4.

  In other words, IC tags having the same shape and different sizes arranged at the same distance from the infrared camera can be classified from the projection pattern of FIG. When rectangular IC tags 81, 82, and 83 having different sizes are arranged on the same position measurement distance, they can be classified from a two-dimensional projection pattern. The size pattern (large, medium, small, etc.) of the heat generation shape unique to the IC tag is stored in the personal computer PC2 in advance as correlation data of the IC tag and correlated with the two-dimensional infrared data obtained from the infrared camera. Sort by.

  Furthermore, the IC tag system of the present invention can detect the arrangement positions of a plurality of IC tags having the same shape and the same size in the depth direction by the following method.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the depth direction of the IC tag. FIG. 9A is a diagram showing a two-dimensional radiation pattern by an infrared sensor when IC tags having the same shape and the same size are arranged in the depth direction. The two-dimensional projection pattern IC tags 91 ′, 92 ′, and 93 ′ correspond to the IC tags 91, 92, and 93 in FIG. 9B, have the same shape, and have the same size. Different projection patterns can be obtained. This is because each IC tag is arranged at a different measurement distance. FIG. 9B is a diagram showing a configuration in which IC tags 91, 92, and 93 having the same shape and the same size are arranged on the depths L5, L6, and L7, respectively. That is, it is possible to classify IC tags of the same shape and the same size arranged at different distances from the infrared camera from the projection pattern of FIG. 9A in the depth direction.

  If it is assumed that IC tags having the same shape and the same size are used in advance, the projection pattern 91 ′ of the IC tag 91 arranged at the nearest measurement distance L5 is the largest, and then arranged at the distance L6. It can be seen that the projection pattern 92 ′ of the IC tag 92 is the smallest and the projection pattern 93 ′ of the IC tag 93 disposed at the distance L 7 is the smallest.

  As described above, the correlation in the depth direction of each IC tag can be obtained from the two-dimensional infrared data obtained from the infrared camera. Furthermore, the IC tag system of the present invention can detect the arrangement position in the depth direction of a plurality of IC tags having the same shape and the same size by the following means.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the depth direction according to the temperature of the IC tag is detected. FIG. 10A is a diagram showing a two-dimensional radiation pattern by the infrared sensor when a plurality of IC tags are arranged in the depth direction. The two-dimensional projection patterns 101 ′, 102 ′, and 103 ′ of the IC tag correspond to the IC tags 101, 102, and 103 in FIG. 10B, and the relative temperatures thereof are different, and the IC tag 101 is the highest. Next, the IC tag 012 and the IC tag 103 are in this order. FIG. 10B is a diagram showing that IC tags 101, 012 and 103 having the same shape and the same size are arranged on the depths L8, L9 and L10, respectively. In other words, the same shape and the same size of IC tags arranged at different distances from the infrared camera can be classified in the depth direction from the relative temperature of the projection pattern in FIG.

  If it is known in advance that IC tags having the same shape, the same size, and the same calorific value during activation will be used, the relative temperature data of the two-dimensional infrared obtained from the infrared camera can be used to determine the depth direction of each IC tag. Correlation can be taken. That is, it is utilized that the temperature rise when activated is larger as the intensity of the radio wave received by the IC tag is larger. The intensity of the radio wave received by the IC tag decreases as the distance from the antenna 4 of the IC tag processing device 3 increases, and increases as the distance from the antenna 4 decreases. Therefore, the relative temperature of the IC tag measured by the infrared camera is highest in the IC tag 101 whose distance from the antenna 4 is L8, next in the tag 102 at the distance L9, and further at the farthest distance L10. IC tag 103 is the lowest. In this way, the relative distance between the plurality of IC tags can be obtained using the relative temperatures of the plurality of IC tags.

  Furthermore, the IC tag system according to the present embodiment can detect the vertical, horizontal, and horizontal arrangement directions in which a plurality of IC tags having an asymmetrical shape are arranged by the following means. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating how the orientation of the IC tag is detected. FIG. 11A is a diagram illustrating a two-dimensional projection pattern by an infrared sensor including an activated IC tag. As shown in FIG. 11, the two-dimensional projection patterns 111 ′, 112 ′, 113 ′, and 114 ′ of the IC tag correspond to the IC tags 111, 112, 113, and 114 of FIG. The arrangement direction of the top, bottom, left and right of the tag is different. The arrows in the figure are temporarily shown for explaining the direction of the IC tag. FIG. 11B is a diagram illustrating a state in which a plurality of IC tags 111, 112, 113, and 114 having an asymmetrical shape are arranged on the same depth L11.

  That is, it is possible to classify the vertical and horizontal directions in which a plurality of IC tags having an asymmetrical shape, which are arranged at the same distance from the infrared camera, are arranged based on the projection pattern of FIG. The position information, classification information, and relative depth information of the IC tag detected by the above method can be written to the memory 34 (FIG. 3) mounted on the IC tag by communication from the IC tag processing device 3.

  As described above, according to the IC tag processing device according to the present embodiment, the IC processing device communicates with the IC tag, and by measuring the heat generation pattern of the activated IC tag as two-dimensional infrared distribution data from the infrared camera, It becomes possible to obtain the position information of the IC tag.

  In addition, before the IC processing device communicates with the IC tag, the two-dimensional infrared distribution data in an inactive state of the IC tag and the IC processing device communicate with the IC tag, and the IC tag is activated 2 By taking the difference from the dimensional infrared distribution data, it becomes possible to extract the position information of the activated IC tag.

  Further, the IC processing device communicates with the IC tag, classifies and stores shape patterns unique to the IC tag in advance, measures the heat generation pattern of the IC tag to be activated as two-dimensional infrared distribution data from an infrared camera, and distributes the distribution. The IC tag position information can be acquired from the data, and the IC tag can be classified by the correlation of the shape data.

  In addition, the IC tag processing device communicates with the IC tag, classifies and stores a pattern having a size unique to the IC tag in advance, and generates heat generation patterns of a plurality of IC tags on the same distance to be activated from an infrared camera in a two-dimensional manner. It is possible to measure as infrared distribution data, obtain IC tag position information from the distribution data, and further classify the IC tags by correlation of size data.

  In addition, the IC processing device communicates with the IC tag, classifies and stores patterns of IC tags of the same shape and size in advance, and generates heat generation patterns of a plurality of IC tags activated at different distances from an infrared camera. It is possible to measure as two-dimensional infrared distribution data, obtain IC tag position information from the distribution data, and further obtain information on the depth direction of the IC tag by correlation of the size of the two-dimensional projection pattern.

  In addition, the IC processing device communicates with the IC tag, classifies and stores the IC tag pattern according to the shape and size unique to the IC tag in advance, and is arranged at different measurement distances and activated with the same shape and the same size. Relative temperature data of a plurality of IC tags are measured as two-dimensional infrared distribution data by an infrared camera, IC tag position information is obtained from the relative temperature difference distribution data, and further, the IC tag depth direction is calculated from the relative temperature difference data. Information can be obtained.

  In addition, the IC processing device communicates with the IC tag, classifies and stores the IC tag based on the shape and size unique to the IC tag having the vertical and horizontal directions in advance, and is activated at different measurement distances. The heat generation pattern of the IC tag with horizontal direction is measured as two-dimensional infrared distribution data from the infrared camera, the position information of the IC tag is obtained from the distribution data, and the IC tag is arranged by the two-dimensional projection pattern. Information in the left-right direction can be obtained.

  In the IC tag system, the position information of the IC tag detected by the position information detection means and the information of the vertical and horizontal directions where the IC tag detected by the means for detecting the information of the vertical and horizontal directions of the IC tag is installed The write-once information can be written to the tag-specific memory so that the write-once information can be read at the same time as the IC tag-specific information when communicating with the IC tag processing device again after this writing process. It is possible to provide an IC tag system having an excellent function capable of additionally writing position information, classification information, vertical / horizontal arrangement position information, and depth arrangement information.

  According to the present invention, since the position of the IC tag can be grasped, the application field of the IC tag is further increased.

It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the IC tag processing apparatus by one embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the example of an antenna structure of the IC tag processing apparatus by one embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the IC tag processing apparatus by embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of a non-power-supply IC tag. It is the figure which showed the example of a structure of the IC tag carrying a power supply. It is a block diagram which shows the example of 1 structure of an infrared camera. FIG. 6A is a diagram showing a difference in two-dimensional temperature distribution obtained from an infrared camera, FIG. 6A is a diagram showing a two-dimensional temperature distribution of an IC tag before activation, and FIG. 6B is a diagram after activation. It is the figure which showed the two-dimensional temperature distribution of IC tag of (2), (c) is the two-dimensional temperature distribution figure which took the difference of the two-dimensional temperature distribution of (a) and (b) and extracted the activated IC tag FIG. It is a figure which shows the heat_generation | fever shape pattern peculiar to an IC tag for specifying the several activated IC tag from which a shape differs. (a) is the figure which showed the two-dimensional projection heat_generation | fever shape pattern of the IC tag of a several different shape. (b) is the figure which showed the depth direction of several different-shaped IC tag. FIG. 8A is a diagram showing a two-dimensional projection heat generation pattern of IC tags having a plurality of different sizes. FIG. 8B is a diagram in which a plurality of IC tags having different sizes are arranged on the same measurement distance. FIG. 9A is a diagram showing a two-dimensional projection heat generation shape pattern of a plurality of IC tags having the same shape and the same size. FIG. 9B is a diagram showing that a plurality of IC tags having the same shape and the same size are arranged at different distances. FIG. 10A is a diagram showing temperature information of a plurality of two-dimensional projection heat generation shape patterns of IC tags having the same shape and the same size. FIG. 10B is a diagram showing a plurality of IC tags having the same shape and the same size arranged at different distances. FIG. 11A is a diagram illustrating a two-dimensional projection heat generation pattern of a two-dimensional projection heat generation shape pattern of a plurality of IC tags having an asymmetrical shape in the vertical and horizontal directions. FIG. 11 (b) is a diagram showing a state in which a plurality of IC tags having asymmetrical vertical and horizontal shapes are arranged at different distances. It is the figure which showed the example of the conventional IC tag system. It is the figure which showed the example of the conventional IC tag. (a) is a card type, (b) is a square loop type, (c) is a circular loop type, and (d) is a folded dipole type tag.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Display apparatus, 2 ... PC, 3 ... IC tag processing apparatus, 4 ... Antenna, 5 ... Control circuit, 6 ... RF circuit, 7 ... Infrared sensor, 8 ... Optical system, 9 ... Activated IC tag, 10 ... Deactivated IC tag, 11 ... Infrared camera, 12 ... Power supply circuit, 13 ... I / F, 14 ... Microprocessor, 15 ... Memory (control program), 16 ... Digital signal processing, 17 ... Crystal, 18 ... Oscillation circuit, 19 ... Modulation circuit, 20 ... Transmission amplification, 21 ... Detection demodulation, 22 ... Reception amplification, 23 ... Filter, 24 ... Feeding point, 25 ... Coil antenna, 26 ... Capacitor, 27 ... Analog front end, 28 ... Modulator, 29 ... command, 30 ... transmission clock, 31 ... RF-DC Conversion, 32 ... CPU, 33 ... Cryptographic processing, 34 ... Memory (ID, etc.), 35 ... Non-power IC tag, 36 ... IC tag with power supply, 37 ... Small battery 51 ... Scanning 52 ... Condensation 53 ... External I / F 54 ... Memory 55 ... Synchronization 56 ... Detection 57 ... Amplification 61 64 ... Deactivated circular IC tag, 62, 63 ... Deactivated square IC tag, 65 ... Background before activation (cabinet, etc.), 65 '... Background after activation (cabinet, etc.) ), 61 ', 64' ... Activated circular IC tag, 62 ', 63' ... Deactivated square IC tag, 61 ", 64" ... Difference of activated circular IC tag, 71 ', 74 '... square IC tag two-dimensional radiation pattern, 72', 73 '... circular IC tag two-dimensional radiation pattern, 71, 74 ... Square IC tag depth arrangement position, 72, 73 ... Circular IC tag depth arrangement position, 81 '... Square large IC tag two-dimensional radiation pattern, 82' ... Square medium IC tag two-dimensional radiation pattern, 83 ' ... Square small IC tag two-dimensional radiation pattern, 81, 82, 83 ... Square IC tags of different sizes arranged on the same position measurement distance, 91 '... Two-dimensional radiation pattern of neighboring-position square IC tags , 92 ′ —two-dimensional radiation pattern of the intermediately arranged rectangular IC tag, 93 ′ —two-dimensional radiation pattern of the remotely arranged rectangular IC tag, 91, 92, 93... Of the same size arranged at different distances Square IC tag, 101 '... near placement IC tag temperature data, 102' ... intermediate placement IC tag temperature data, 103 '... far placement IC tag temperature data, 101, 102, 1 3 ... IC tags of the same shape and size arranged at different distances, 111 '... Upward-positioned IC tag two-dimensional radiation pattern, 112' ... Two-dimensional radiation pattern of right-positioned IC tag, 113 '... Two-dimensional radiation pattern of IC tag arranged downward, 114' ... Two-dimensional radiation pattern of IC tag arranged leftward, 111, 112, 113, 114 ... Asymmetric shape arranged at the same measurement distance IC tags with different orientations.

Claims (15)

An IC tag having an antenna coil that transmits and receives radio waves, a signal processing unit that performs conversion processing between radio waves and data transmitted and received by the antenna coil, a memory that stores data based on radio waves, and a control unit When,
An IC tag system comprising: an IC tag processing apparatus comprising: a communication unit that communicates with the IC tag; and an activated IC tag detection unit that detects an active IC tag.   The activation IC tag detection means includes a temperature sensor for detecting heat generation caused by heat loss of the activation IC tag, and a temperature distribution measurement calculation means for measuring a two-dimensional temperature distribution based on a detection result by the temperature sensor. The IC tag system according to claim 1, further comprising: The activated IC tag detecting means includes an infrared sensor, a scanning means for scanning the infrared sensor two-dimensionally, and a measuring means for measuring a two-dimensional temperature distribution by the scanning means. The IC tag system according to claim 1 or 2.   4. The IC tag system according to claim 2, further comprising temperature measuring means for displaying the two-dimensional temperature distribution as visualization information.   5. The IC tag system according to claim 4, wherein an optical central axis of the infrared sensor and a central axis of a magnetic flux of an antenna that transmits and receives radio waves for communication with the IC tag are matched.   6. The IC tag according to claim 1, wherein the IC tag has at least one of a means for rectifying a received radio wave to regenerate a DC power source and a small battery as a power source. The IC tag system according to item.   Heat is generated by taking the difference between the temperature distribution of the entire background surface of the processing target including the IC tag before activation and the temperature distribution of the entire background surface including the IC tag after activation. The IC tag system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a location is extracted.   The temperature distribution pattern of the surface unique to the IC tag or a plurality of the IC tags that generate heat upon activation is stored in advance based on the shape unique to the IC tag, and measured based on the activated IC tag. 8. The IC according to claim 1, wherein position information of the IC tag is detected in association with a shape unique to the IC tag by taking a correlation regarding the shape with the information. Tag system.   The temperature distribution pattern of the surface unique to the IC tag having different sizes of heat generated by activation is stored in advance based on a plurality of different sizes, and the visible information measured based on the activated IC tag 8. The position information is detected by taking a correlation with respect to the size, and determining the information by taking into account the information in the depth direction of the IC tag in relation to the size of the IC tag. The IC tag system according to any one of the above.   By storing in advance a temperature distribution pattern of a surface unique to an IC tag having the same shape and size that generates heat upon activation, and correlating it with visible information measured based on the activated IC tag 8. The IC tag system according to claim 1, wherein position information in a depth direction of the IC tag is detected.   The position information in the depth direction of the IC tag is detected based on a relative temperature difference between the plurality of IC tags measured based on the activated IC tag. The IC tag system according to item 1.   The temperature distribution pattern of the surface unique to the IC tag having the directionality of the rotational direction is stored in advance, and the correlation of the pattern based on the visible information including the IC tag measured based on the IC tag that generates heat by activation 8. The information on the directionality of the rotation direction in which the IC tag is arranged is detected by taking into account the information on the depth direction of the IC tag, and information on the direction of the rotation direction in which the IC tag is arranged is detected. The IC tag system according to claim 1.   A temperature distribution pattern unique to the IC tag is stored in advance, and the IC distribution is correlated with the temperature distribution pattern based on visible information including the IC tag measured based on the IC tag that generates heat upon activation. The IC tag system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein information on a position where the tag is arranged is detected.   An IC tag, wherein the position information of the IC tag according to any one of claims 7 to 11 and the information in the vertical and horizontal directions according to claim 12 are written in a memory unique to the IC tag. system.   An IC tag processing apparatus comprising: a communication unit that communicates with an IC tag; and an activated IC tag detection unit that detects an IC tag in an active state based on heat generated by heat loss of the activated IC tag.

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